New International VersionHe must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.

New Living TranslationThe king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the LORD. And he must not accumulate large amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself.

English Standard VersionAnd he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold.

New American Standard Bible "He shall not multiply wives for himself, or else his heart will turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself.

King James BibleNeither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

Holman Christian Standard BibleHe must not acquire many wives for himself so that his heart won't go astray. He must not acquire very large amounts of silver and gold for himself.

International Standard VersionAlso, he must not accumulate wives for himself (otherwise, his affection will become diverted), nor accumulate for himself excessive quantities of silver and gold.

NET BibleFurthermore, he must not marry many wives lest his affections turn aside, and he must not accumulate much silver and gold.

New Heart English BibleNeither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart not turn away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

GOD'S WORD® TranslationThe king must never have a large number of wives, or he will turn away [from God]. And he must never own a lot of gold and silver.

JPS Tanakh 1917Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away; neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

New American Standard 1977 “Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself.

Jubilee Bible 2000Neither shall he multiply wives unto himself, that his heart turn not away; neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver or gold.

King James 2000 BibleNeither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

American King James VersionNeither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

American Standard VersionNeither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

Douay-Rheims BibleHe shall not have many wives, that may allure his mind, nor immense sums of silver and gold.

Darby Bible TranslationNeither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away; neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

English Revised VersionNeither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

Webster's Bible TranslationNeither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart may turn not away: neither shall he greatly accumulate to himself silver and gold.

World English BibleNeither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart not turn away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

Young's Literal Translation And he doth not multiply to himself wives, and his heart doth not turn aside, and silver and gold he doth not multiply to himself -- exceedingly.

Commentary

Matthew Henry Commentary17:14-20 God himself was in a particular manner Israel's King; and if they set another over them, it was necessary that he should choose the person. Accordingly, when the people desired a king, they applied to Samuel, a prophet of the Lord. In all cases, God's choice, if we can but know it, should direct, determine, and overrule ours. Laws are given for the prince that should be elected. He must carefully avoid every thing that would turn him from God and religion. Riches, honours, and pleasures, are three great hinderances of godliness, (the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye, and the pride of life,) especially to those in high stations; against these the king is here warned. The king must carefully study the law of God, and make that his rule; and having a copy of the Scriptures of his own writing, must read therein all the days of his life. It is not enough to have Bibles, but we must use them, use them daily, as long as we live. Christ's scholars never learn above their Bibles, but will have constant occasion for them, till they come to that world where knowledge and love will be made perfect. The king's writing and reading were as nothing, if he did not practise what he wrote and read. And those who fear God and keep his commandments, will fare the better for it even in this world.

2 Samuel 5:13Meanwhile David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron; and more sons and daughters were born to David.

2 Samuel 12:11"Thus says the LORD, 'Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight.

1 Kings 10:27The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedars as plentiful as sycamore trees that are in the lowland.

1 Kings 11:1Now King Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women,

1 Kings 11:3He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned his heart away.

1 Kings 11:4For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been.

2 Chronicles 1:15The king made silver and gold as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars as plentiful as sycamores in the lowland.

2 Chronicles 11:21Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom more than all his other wives and concubines. For he had taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines and fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

Proverbs 31:3Do not give your strength to women, Or your ways to that which destroys kings.

Treasury of Scripture

Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.